Ladder.



PATENTED JUNE 23, 1908.

0. 1). PHIP'PS.

LADDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 19.07.

R m 5 a 5 m v Y J g 8 W 1 g M L p M rm- "cums PETERS :o.. wnsuln'uwn. n. c.

CHARLES D. PHIPPS, OF FENTON, MICHIGAN.

LADDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 23, 1908.

Application filed May 27, 1907. Serial No. 375,925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES D. PHIPPs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fenton, in the county of Genesee and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ladders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to new and useful improvements in adjustable ladders; and has for its main object to provide a ladder with an adjustable foot piece so that the same may be used on uneven ground.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings ,-Figure 1 is a view of a ladder constructed in accordance with the invention, part of the adjustable foot piece and adjacent ladder rail shown in section so as to advantageously illustrate the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a rack employed in carrying out the invention;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a catch; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the bearing plate.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 represents one of the rails of a ladder 2. 3 represents a rack which is secured to the outer face of said rail 1 and is arranged longitudinally thereof, said rack having an outwardly extending ear or lug 4 at one edge near its lower end, and a corresponding outwardly extending ear or lug 5 at its opposite edge near its upper end, by means of which said rack may be secured securely in position to said ladder rail 1. The numeral 6 represents suitable clips, one secured to each end of said rack. 7 represents an adjustable foot piece, which is arranged at the outer face of said ladder rail 1 and is held in movable position thereto by means of said clips 6, through which said foot piece works.

The numeral 8 represents a bearing plate having a central longitudinal slot or guide opening 9 extending from one end to a point near its opposite end and two corresponding oppositely disposed guide flanges 10 extending outwardly from the inner walls of the slot or guide opening and preferably located centrally of the length of the bearing late, the purpose of which will be shown. 11 the application of my invention, said bearing plate is secured to the outer face of the foot piece 7 at a suitable point between its ends by screws or other equivalent means, and is arranged longitudinally thereof.

The numeral 11 represents a catch having a central inwardly extending jaw 12, an upwardly extending handle 13 and a horizontal downwardly extending lip 14 having extending from its free end a pin 15, the purpose of which will be shown. Said catch is also provided at a suitable point below said jaw and near its outer edge with two oppositely disosed outwardly extending studs or lugs 16.

n the application of my invention said inwardly extending jaw works through the central longitudinal slot or guide opening and between the guide flanges 9 and 10, respectively, of said bearing plate, and through a corresponding opening 17 in the adjustable foot piece; and the studs or lugs 16 work in corresponding sockets 18 in said guide flanges. 19 represents a vertical row of teeth formed on the inner edge of the jaw of said catch adapted to engage the teeth of the rack 3, and 20 a coiled spring secured at one end to the pin 15 of the lip 14 of said catch, and at its opposite end to a pin 21 extending from the outer face of said bearing plate near its lower end, which spring serves to normally hold the teeth of said jaw in engagement with the teeth of the rack when the foot piece is in position.

When the ladder is to be used on uneven ground, the adjustable foot piece 7 may be adjusted up by pulling outward on the front end of the handle of the catch to release the teeth of the jaw from engagement with the rack teeth. After the foot piece has been properly adjusted the handle is released and the coiled spring acts to hold the teeth of the jaw and rack in engagement; and as the catch is fulcrumed at a point near its lower end, the greater the weight on the ladder, the more secure the engagement between the jaw and rack teeth.

Having described my invention, I claim In a ladder, a rack secured to and projecting from one of the legs thereof, a grooved foot piece arranged to slide over the le a catch mounting plate secured to the foot and being slotted longitudinally and transversely, and a catch comprising a jaw having engaging teeth, ivot pins upon the jaw adapted to pivot 1n the transverse slot of the mounting plate, a dependin le upon the In testimony whereof I have hereunto set catch and an upstanding ian le on the my hand in presence of two subscribing wit 10 catch in alinement with the leg, together nesses.

with the spring arranged between the lower CHARLES D PHIPPS end of the catch and the mounting plate to force the jaw through the longitudinal slot Witnesses: of said plate and through a slot in the foot H. L. HOLMES, piece into engagement with the rack. G. C. ROBBINS. 

